An analyzing apparatus for executing a predetermined analysis for a sample and obtaining information about the components or structure of the sample is used in various fields such as drug/food development, medical care, environment research and basic study.
Typically, such an analyzing apparatus is configured to include a plurality of units as functional units that respectively perform a plurality of steps constituting a sequence of analysis work. As an example, a liquid chromatograph (LC) includes a liquid sending pump for sending a liquid mobile phase to a mobile phase passage, an injector for injecting a sample into the mobile phase passage, a column oven for performing the temperature control of a column for separating components contained in the sample, a detector for detecting separated components flowing through the mobile phase passage on the downstream side of the column, and other components. Generally, commercially available analyzing apparatuses further include communication device for performing the communication with a controlling computer (a PC, workstation or the like) that externally controls the operation of the analyzing apparatus, and the controlling computer and the analyzing apparatus constitute an analyzing system. Recently, an analyzing apparatus equipped with programs (an Operating System, application software and the like) and thereby constituting an analyzing system by itself has been provided.
As an example of such analyzing systems, an analyzing system having a start function to put the analyzing apparatus into an operating state, an analysis execution function to make the analyzing apparatus execute the analysis, a pause function to put the analyzing apparatus into a waiting state, and a schedule management function to register these functions in a schedule table as tasks and to sequentially execute the registered tasks has been provided. In such a schedule table, generally, not only the analysis condition but also the execution timing of each task are managed based on the designation by a user, and thereby, the user can start the analysis at a desired timing. The “timing” mentioned here includes a previously designated time, a time point when a predetermined time has elapsed since a certain time point (for example, the end time of a particular task), and the like.
The “operating state” of the analyzing apparatus means a state where one or a plurality of units of the analyzing apparatus are performing predetermined operations relevant to the execution of the analysis or the preparation (warm-up), and the “waiting state” means a state where no units are performing the above predetermined operations. For example, when the liquid sending pump of the LC is sending liquid, the LC is in the operating state as a whole, even if the other units have paused the above predetermined operations. When the LC is in the waiting state, all units including the pump have stopped the above predetermined operations. Here, even in the waiting state, the electricity supply to the units is maintained, and the units perform the switching of the above operations in the power-on state.